Around baseball: Mat Latos' knee surgery 'very minor,' Reds say

Starting pitcher Mat Latos had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee yesterday, giving the Cincinnati Reds a concern as they opened spring training.

Starting pitcher Mat Latos had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee yesterday, giving the Cincinnati Reds a concern as they opened spring training.

Latos suffered the injury a few days earlier while throwing in Arizona. He will have to stop throwing for about 10 days, but general manager Walt Jocketty said Latos could be ready for the start of the season.

Latos went 14-7 last season with a 3.16 ERA in 32 starts.

“It was a very quick repair, very minor surgery,” Jocketty said. “Is it unfortunate? Yeah. But it’s not something we’re overly concerned about.”

Longtime player, manager Fregosi dies

Jim Fregosi, a six-time All-Star shortstop with the California Angels who went on to manage the club to its first playoff appearance and then guided the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series, died after an apparent stroke. He was 71.

Fregosi’s more than 50 years in baseball ended as a special assistant to Atlanta Braves general manager Frank Wren. The club said it was notified by a family member that Fregosi died early yesterday in Miami, where he was hospitalized after the apparent stroke while on a cruise with baseball alumni.

“Jim played a vital role in our club over the last 13 years,” Wren said. “As a senior adviser, he was someone you could always pick up the phone and get a feel for the players in the game.”

Along with the Phillies and Angels, Fregosi managed the Chicago White Sox and Toronto. He took over the White Sox in the middle of the 1986 season after Tony La Russa was fired, and he was hired by the Blue Jays after manager Tim Johnson was dismissed during spring training in 1999 for lying about his military service record.